Coccyx pain after rectal cancer operation

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Hi I was diagnosed in Dec 2023 with stage 3 and in 3 lymph nodes rectal cancer had chemotherapy and radiation and chemo tablets had Operation August 2024 am Cancer free now BUT since then have suffered with extreme coccyx pain just feel like my life is finished cannot sit down have to lay down on side most of day all I do is cry . I have been told to give it time to see if it heals itself but that cannot be right I'm on gabapentin and oramorphine the morphine is the only thing that numbs it but I don't want to be stuck on an opoid for the rest of my life .I have an ilstomy reversal operation coming up soon and I'm SO SCARED as to wether I go through with it I have been to pelvic floor classes but the pain is immense and was told to swap .someone out there please help me I'm in so much pain and thinking I can't have the reversal done as I'm going to worse off HELP ME PLEASE

  •   What sort of operation did you have? I know an APR can take a long time to heal but then you wouldn’t be having a reversal so I’m presuming you had a Low Anterior Resection? Have you discussed this with your consultant and have your scans been clear? x

    Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm
  • Yes I had low anterior reaction have an ilstomy and am supposed to have reversal soon but the pain in coccyx is unbearable surgeon just said it must have happened in the way I was laying during operation and that's it I'm so scared and fed up my anxiety is through the roof I have no life at the moment as all I can do is lay down 

  • Scans clear but cannot get clear answer as to wether they scanned my coccyx area

  • I’ve heard of people having a bad back from the operating table but not still 6 months later? Perhaps you could ask your GP for an X-ray to check for something like osteoarthritis maybe? 

    Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm
  • Its not that it's 100% in my coccyx but not to worry it sounds like something I will have to live with just got to make my mind up on having the ilstomy reversal to wether it will make it worse or better 

  • I had bad coccyx pain after my surgery. We don't know what caused it, probably a combination of a long time on the surgery table and weight loss leaving the area less "padded".

    It was very difficult to handle on top of the surgery itself and I felt the kind of despair I hear in your message. What seemed to help the most was a padded bandage designed specifically to help this injury. It seemed ridiculous to me when they gave it to me but it worked. It took weeks for this to be suggested. None of the nurses on the floor knew about it and doctors were useless. A wound nurse heard of my problem and made the suggestion. So it may take a bit of doing to get this bandage. But persevere, it's worth it. Healing isn't immediate but it does get better. 

  • Thankyou Susan noone understands the pain or why I have it . Was told by surgeon that was most probably the same thing where I was in surgery so long . I have been like this since end of August last year I know it takes time for your body to heal from major operation but I just cannot live my life like this I cannot do anything,I can't go back to work as in so much pain I'm having to take morphine all the time I have very bad neuropathy in legs so struggling to walk I'm just so fed up I'm so worried about having a reversal done on ilstomy bag . Thankyou for understanding me and my pain .